The RANGE ROVER SPORT

Be a supermodel, or just look like one in the new Range Rover Sport. That’s the feeling you’ll get behind the wheel of this venerable favorite of the well-heeled set. Here at Napleton News, we’re all about looking good, even though our heels may not be as well-heeled as the next guy . So we’ll push through and in the process tell you all about the new Range Rover Sport Hybrid.

What is it about the Range Rover Sport?

The brand has always enjoyed a high-fallutin type of reputation, catering to A-listers, pro-athletes and even royalty. In fact, the late Queen Elizabeth II even knew how to fix the vehicles when she was a military motor pool mechanic during World War II.

Needless to say, there is a certain cache that comes with a Ranger. Consider it a value-bonus!

What moves the Range Rover Sport?

There’s a deuce, a deuce and another deuce. What are we talking about? Engine choices, my dear! There are a pair of V6s. A pair of V8s and finally, a pair of PHEV V8 engines. The base engine, found in the P360SE and P400 both start with a 3.0-liter 6-cylinder mild-hybrid engine pumping out 355 and 395 horsepower, respectively. Next up is the plug-in electric hybrid system that uses the same engine but is paired to an electric motor generator kicking the power up to 454 (P460E) and 542 hp when found in the P550E. The P530 steps up to the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 delivering 523 horsepower. Mileage wise, both PHEV vehicles can hit 53 miles-per-gallon.

For those who feel enough is never truly enough, there is the SV Edition Two powered by a 626 hp version of the same V8.

All engines are matched to an 8-speed automatic transmission with all-wheel drive, standard. The famous Range Rover Terrain Response System is also on-board, allowing you to take the Ranger where others merely think about going. The system is tuned to roll through everything from sand, snow, mud, rocks, ruts and more. By our count, that’s almost everywhere.

How about looks on the Range Rover Sport?

Minimalist looks abound on the new Range Rover Sport. Think smooth surfaces with rounded corners and blacked out trim. Sharp creases need not apply. There’s an implied rakishness to the overall appearance of the vehicle. That’s because of the appearance of side vents in the front fenders. Chrome is almost non-existent except for portions of the company logos on the front and rear.

Door handles are flush-mounted and push out to meet a grabbing hand. We think the “fiddly bit” buttons on the handles are an annoyance that sometimes works and sometimes don’t. They performed in a finicky manner, which shouldn’t happen on a vehicle with only 1,200 miles on it from new.

One of our favorite points of detail on the Range Rover Sport is the smoothed-out look of the rear bumper. It’s a rounded device with hardly a sharp edge and nicely detailed light bar. Trust us. It’s one of the sexiest bums in the business.

What about inside?

The interior of the Range Rover is a combination of elegant materials, unbelievable audio stimulation and enough piano black trim to make Steinway & Sons jealous. Were we talking about music? Well, not exactly but the sound coming from the Meridian Audio 3D Surround Sound system will satisfy any audiophile. The system consists of 29 speakers (!) and a 1,430-watt amplifier. Talk about a wall of sound.

Behind the wheel of the new Range Rover Sport.

Pushing the button in the Ranger leads to…nothing. That’s because only the hybrid motor is running at startup. Eventually, the gas engine kicks in and we are off. Where will we go?

We could off-road a bit towards the Everglades. Or perhaps ford a stream that is just begging to be crossed. Or even do a bit of hill climbing or traversing through mud and muck. The choice is up to you but in most cases, the Range Rover Sport is up to the task. Sadly, most owners will not put the Ranger up to such feats.

That’s because they will likely be driven to the big box store for a monthly shopping trip instead. Or to deliver kids to after school activities.

But that’s okay! Because it’s up to that task, too.

Acceleration is robust after a slight hesitation from the CPU deciding whether to engage the electric motor or the gas engine. Gas engine, it is in this case, which launches us forward with a 0-60 lurch that gets us there in 5.3 seconds.

Handling is stellar for such a large and bulky SUV. There is a minimal body lean from this beast, thanks to the Stormer Handling Pack. This $7,185 option brings the Dynamic Response Pro handling package, all-wheel steering, an active differential and more. It’s definitely worth the spend.

At the end of the day though, with the fiddly bits issues and all, we still managed to enjoy nearly every aspect of this Range Rover Sport.

Range Rover Sport Specifications